PREFACE. iS! 



order to give a greater degree of clearness 

 and precision to the arrangement of birds; 

 but they cannot be considered as absolutely 

 necessary. Thus the Pigeons have been 

 sometimes considered as properly forming a 

 distinct order of birds, under the title of 

 Coliimhce or the Columbine Birds, instead of 

 being ranked among the Passeres of Linnaeus ; 

 and the Ostrich, Cassowary, and Dodo have 

 been supposed to constitute an order called 

 the Struthious Order, instead of ranking either 

 among the GrallcB or GallincB of Linnaeus. 



In the course of the present publication, 

 though the general tenor of the Linnaean 

 and Lathamian divisions will be pursued, 

 yet several variations and transpositions will 

 occasionally take place. 



N. B. Wherever a marked line occurs on 

 the plates, it signifies the twelfth part of the 

 length of the bird. 



